Card-holding attachment for card tables



A ril 21, 1953 J. 5. KAMBORIAN 2,635,830

CARD-HOLDING ATTACHMENT FOR CARD TABLES Filed Aug. 19, 1949 Patented Apr. 21, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CARD-HOLDIN G ATTACHMENT F CARD TABLES Jacob S. Kamborian, West Newton, Mass.

Application August 19, 1949, Serial No. 111,243

1 Claim. 1

This invention pertains to game accessories and more especially to a novel card-holding attachment for use with card tables.

When card games are played in the open air, for example, on porches, terraces, boats, etc, it frequently happens, to the annoyance of the players, that cards laid on the table will be dis placed or even blown away by the breeze. It has been proposed to make card tables in which card-holding devices constitute permanent features of the table construction, but comparatively few such tables are in use and most card games are played on ordinary tables unprovided with any such equipment.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a card-holding appliance which may readily be attached to any ordinary card table and which may be as easily removed. A further object is to provide a card-holding appliance which may be attached to an ordinary card table without the use of tools and without marring or otherwise injuring the table. A further object is to provide a card-holding attachment which is readily applicable to tables of a substantial range of sizes. A further object is to provide a cardholding appliance which does not interfere with the convenient seating of the players or occupy an undue proportion of the playing surface of the table. A further object is to provide a cardholding appliance of suitable inexpensive construction capable of being folded up so as to occupy but little space and which, in use, is eiTective for its intended purpose. ther and further objects and advantages of the invention will be pointed out in the following more detailed description and by reference to the accompany ing drawings wherein Fig. l is a plan view of a card table showing the appliance of the present invention associated therewith;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation of the card table, to larger scale than Fig. 1, showing the card-holding appliance of the present invention attached to the table and showing cards held in place by the appliance;

Fig. 3 is a vertical, fragmentary section with certain parts in elevation, showing the appliance apart from the table;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary edge elevation, to larger scale than Fig. 3, showing one of the retaining hooks;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section, to much larger scale on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 6 is a plan view of a plate or disk which preferably constitutes an element of the attachment.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 6 designates the top of a conventional card table, the top being substantially square and provided with the depending vertical rim 2 having a smoothly curved lower edge 3. While the table here shown is square, the attachment is applicable to table tops of other shapes. The table shown is provided with legs 4 at its corners which may be folding legs of the customary type. The invention is not directed to the table; and it is to be understood that the appliance may be used with any conventional card table.

As here illustrated, the card-holding appliance of the present invention includes a thin, substantially rigid plate 5 (Figs. 1 and 6), here shown as a disk, which may be of any appropriate material, for example, sheet metal or a synthetic plastic or wood, this disk being provided, as shown in Fig. 6,,with slots 6 arranged adjacent to opposite ends of a diameter, and with slots 7 arranged adjacent opposite ends of a diameter at right angles to the first-named diameter. This disk or plate with its slots is desirable but in the broader aspects of the invention may be dispensed with.

The card-holding appliance also comprises (Fig. 1) four lengths 8, 9, l0 and H or" elastically stretchable material, for example, woven or braided elastic band or tape. This tape T (Fig. 5) may be of conventional construction comprising parallel warp yarns or threads E of rubber elastic, interwoven with filling yarns Y, which may be of ordinary textile material. While a fiat tape is here illustrated, it is to be understood that in place or" a fiat tape a round cord may be employed, if preferred, and that when the term tape is herein employed, it is to be understood as inclusive of any equivalent elastic element.

While the several lengths 8, s, Hi and H may be independent, the lengths 3 and 9 are shown as forming the end portions of a single integral piece of tape whose central part l2 overlies the disk 5. Likewise, the length I0 and l I are integrally joined to a central portion M which underlies the disk 5. The elastic tape, of which the parts In, H and I4 form portions, has bights or loops l5 and [6 which extend up through the slots 1 of the disk 5, each bight or loop embracing an anchoring pin I 1 which prevents the bight or loop from being retracted from the slot, the central portions l2 and I l being at right angles to each other.

A hook H (Fig. 4) is permanently secured to the free end of each of the lengths of elastic tape. Each hook H consists of a piece of flat sheet metal of sufiicient stiffness to retain its shape. Each hook comprises the elongate shank portion l8 which, in use, is substantially vertical and is disposed against the outer vertical surface of the rim 2 of the card table. The material forming the hook is bent inwardly at the upper end of the .shank to form the horizontal spaced jaws i9 and 2B which receive between them the folded end portion of one of the lengths of elastic tape, the jaws l9 and 26 being so shaped and pressed together as to provide a secure anchorage for the end of the elastic tape.

At the lower end of the shank It the material of the hook is bent inwardly and upwardly to form a curved claw 2! designed to underlie and partially embrace the lower edge of the rim 2 of the card table. The length of the shank is preferably such that the lower jaw 20 may rest on the table top when the claw is engaged with the lower edge of the table top.

In order to engage the hooks with the edges of the card table, the elastic tapes must be extendedor stretched. When so extended and the hooks are engaged with the edges of the table rim, the lengths of elastic tape are held under tension so that they tend to lie in snug contact with the upper surface of the table top. Since the lengths of tape are stretchable, the appliance is applicable, without necessity for adjustment, to tables of a substantial range of sizes and shapes. To increase the range of adjustability, the lengths 9 and II of tape are illustrated as provided with length adjusting clips A of conventional type.

By lifting any one of the lengths of tape it is possible to introduce between such length and the top of the table one or more playing cards C. Likewise the central portion 12 of the tape which overlies the disk 5 may be lifted so as to permit cards K to be introduced beneath said central bight of the tape.

By this means it is possible to place cards on the table and have them remain in position as long as desired without danger that they will be moved or swept away by the breeze.

While the disk 5 or its equivalent is desirable as a convenient way of holding the tapes in assembled closing relation, it is contemplated that other means may be employed for the purpose and that, if desired, the tapes may merely be crossed and united at the crossing point by appropriate fastening means such as stitches or rivets. However, the disk or plate 5 in the arrangement shown has the advantage of providing a central loop l2 of the tape for holding cards in place at the middle of the table, and it tends to keep the tapes fiat and smooth.

While the hooks H, as here illustrated and described, are desirable, it is contemplated that hooks of other shape may be used, if desired, and that while, as above suggested, the hooks are desirably of metal they may be made of other material, for example, synthetic plastic having the desirable properties, in which event the ends of the tapes would be attached to the hooks by other means, for example, by adhesive or rivets.

When the appliance is removed from the table, it may be folded into very compact form and placed in an envelope or other suitable container. When it is to be applied to the table top, it is merely necessary to stretch opposed lengths, for example, lengths 8 and 9 of the tape, so as to permit their hooks to be engaged with the table edge and then t stretch the other pair of tapes 1!] and II so that their hooks may be likewise attached to the table edge. This simple operation is all that is necessary to place the appliance in position for use. Similarly the removal of the device from the table involves the simple operation of detaching the hooks from the table edge.

While one desirable embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described by way of example, it is to be understood that the invention is broadly inclusive of any and all modifications falling within the scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

An attachment applicable to a card table without permanent defacement of the playing surface for holding cards on the table, said attachment comprising a pair of flat elastic tapes disposed at right angles to and crossing each other, each tape having a hook at each end, the hooks being shaped to grip the edge of a card table and the tapes being shorter than the distance between the opposite edges of the table so that they must be stretched to permit the hooks to engage opposite edges of the table, a thin, rigiddisk arranged at the crossing point of the tapes, the disk having diametrically arranged, elongate slots through which one tape passes to form a card-holding loop above the disk, the disk having a second pair of elongate slots arranged at right angles to the first slots, the central portion of the other tape underlying thedisk, the latter tape having bights which extend up through the last-named slots, and means arranged above the disk for anchoring said nights to the disk.

JACOB S. KAMBORIAN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 548,185 Everard Oct. 22, 1895 552,732 Slavens Jan. 7., 1896 909,399 Greenwood Jan. 12, 1909 1,281,586 .Kolibas Oct. 15, 1918 1,360,969 Millsaps Nov. 30, 1920 1,521,481 Spencer Dec. 30, .1924 1,941,181 McGinty Dec. 26, 1933 2,097,312 Stein Oct. 26, 1937 

